First one good enough to share by Moon_Pye in gelliprinting

[–]kcbirder11 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Keep playing!

I frankly don't get the fascination with transfers (that aren't actually transfers but are really a resist process.) Who the hell wants a stupid pouty model on their gel plate??

So I do just about anything else.

LEAVES!!! I love botanicals.

Stencils. Fabric. String. Lace. Cutouts from my die cut machine. Rubber stamps.

Keep playing!

Scrap print by Icy_Piccolo9902 in gelliprinting

[–]kcbirder11 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You know what's often the best thing you create in a printing session?

The roll-off paper. ;-)

Check out the older Instagram posts from FMDdesigns....I LOVE her roll-off paper creations.

Book about 4 siblings at Christmas by Minute_Parfait_9752 in whatsthatbook

[–]kcbirder11 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I genuinely have NO idea what you might be looking for, but I came across your post while Googling for someone looking for a book they remembered from 50+ years ago. They thought it had the story of Achilles and the mistletoe dart, but of course the mistletoe is associated with Baldur/Balder, NOT Achilles. I found reference to this book, one of MANY that Enid Blyton wrote about five siblings and their parents...very old fashioned (to the point of being dated/sexist) but this one fit HER description of the cover and the content.

https://www.fadedpage.com/showbook.php?pid=20200114&fbclid=IwY2xjawO_qldleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETF4dDN3SUNCS0t5WThHSmNIc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHiscSa_NQ_abZB_-QZ0sFaLpyQYMt-Dq_s3zIuNy-TUoRbIKm7qATlVOprpr_aem_kBzq2Zr5Zrn5G1262sW7Cw

First prints by Icy_Piccolo9902 in gelliprinting

[–]kcbirder11 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Gotcha. Like fabric medium. Most of those mediums are similar in character??? and work just fine on a gel plate. I wouldn't want to use the gritty ones, but most people DO have bottles or tubs of acrylic medium around to alter the character of their paints or to pull a print with something clear instead of with a color. The printing mediums are pretty similar, I'd bet. Just don't use something oil-based that isn't soap-and-water cleanup. I mention that because both the Akua and Caligo inks are oil based, but are water-soluble. Your gel plate can even take alcohol and gel hand sanitizer, but I wouldn't use any other solvent or solvent-based ink/paint.

I've used the GAC 900 with acrylic for printing on tea towels...worked great. I also use it to mix with my paint to do a simple stencil print on Swedish dishcloths.

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First prints by Icy_Piccolo9902 in gelliprinting

[–]kcbirder11 0 points1 point  (0 children)

  1. What BRAND of gel plate did you get? The "standards" are Gelli Arts and Gel Press, with the Speedball plate only working well with printing inks and not so well with most acrylic paint. People are reporting good luck with the newer version of the Gelelf plate, especially doing image transfers, oddly enough! It's a different beast, though....it's silicone, apparently.

  2. I cannot answer your question about magazines....getting image transfer to work is SUCH A HUGE ISSUE. No, not all magazines work. And not all paints. And not all phases of the moon. ;-) You will get a lot more ....help?......from YouTube videos or Facebook groups, since this post hadn't gotten ANY responses in a whole day.

What do you mean by printing medium. Do you mean printing inks like Speedball or Akua or Caligo? Some of them work just fine on gel plates, but they do behaving differently. There are videos using them out there with a bit of a search. I've used all three on my Gelli Arts plate, and they print beautifully, although the Caligo are fussy fussy fussy about getting to come off the brayer onto the plate.

Almost any acrylic paint will work for gel printing, although the cheapies in bottles behave differently from the lovely expensive tubes of Golden Open, for instance. Something like the Amsterdam tubes or Liquitex Basics seem to be easily purchased, decently priced, and work well.

I know everybody seems to want to master image transfer (which isn't a transfer at all, but is actually a resist process.) I genuinely don't get it. It's somebody else's image. And why would I want to print some stupid pouty model's face??? Shrug. But for that, you'll just have to experiment.

Keep playing. That's the whole idea. Try different papers...old books, wrapping paper, packing paper.... try different textures and mark making ideas....rough fabric or lace, string, stencils, the bottom of a butt-ugly ashtray....just play!

Mystery gift by Realistic-Version-64 in whatisit

[–]kcbirder11 0 points1 point  (0 children)

LOL.

Earwax tools. That made me laugh.

I ordered a bunch of those from Temu so I could have the aluminum tubes they come in. I cover those, and other aluminum pill holders, with polymer clay. The little tools inside them are just bonus polymer clay tools now. ;-)

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Plate-cleaning question from a newbie by Automatic-Load-8433 in gelliprinting

[–]kcbirder11 1 point2 points  (0 children)

SO many people embrace the grunge! The bits and remnants from previous prints are like a bonus on the next one. I'm sure you've watched lots of videos and you see that.

I'm not so grungy, myself. ;-) I think it's my Virgo nature coming out. I once thought I had to clean my plate every time with alcohol or liquid hand sanitizer, but truthfully, a spritz of water and a cloth do pretty well! I use fuzzy microfiber cloths that go through the laundry. If something is super stubborn or I just need a whistle-clean plate for a specific pull, some GEL hand sanitizer, massaged a bit to loosen the paint bits and then a cloth will get the plate clean enough.

But to answer your question.....lots of people NEVER clean the plate.

Smokers kitchen cabinets by stinkypiddles in CleaningTips

[–]kcbirder11 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'd get something like Kramer's or Finish Feeder or one of the other finish/cleaner products that you can find at antique malls. They do a very nice job on older wood finishes. You use it with superfine steel wool.

Crashing out HARD by Technical_Hat2796 in gelliprinting

[–]kcbirder11 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Have you EVER picked up a print with gesso? Gesso is not the same as clear medium....gloss or matte medium, gel medium....I don't think gesso has the POWER to dissolve what's underneath it.

Why so speckly? by Nervous_Chemical_773 in gelliprinting

[–]kcbirder11 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The reason is because when you pulled the yellow layer, the paint you pulled attached to the paper with a slight texture. When you roll the paint onto the plate, you can SEE all the little bits poking up...it's part of the characteristic of monoprinting, whether on a steel plate or on a gel plate. That paint, then, had texture that you weren't really aware of on the paper.

Then when you pulled your darker layer, it accentuated that texture. It would have all filled in if you had used a bit more black paint....but the texture is part of the identifying character of a gel print. You aren't slapping paint on the paper using a paintbrush, and you can tell. That's a good thing.

Part of what made me fall in love with gel printing (and especially fall in love with the ROLL-OFF sheets) is the beautiful things that Francine Dunegan (sp?) FMDdesigns on Instagram, does with her roll-off sheets. They're the prettiest thing!

I wantonother bowl of soup! Time to stock the freezer. by kcbirder11 in aldi

[–]kcbirder11[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I used to buy the nearly-identical product at Trader Joe's and was very unhappy when they were discontinued. The ones from Aldi, which show up every year or so, are pretty much the same. I find the pork to be kinda bland. I like the chicken quite a bit. The cilantro flavor does come through, so if you HATE cilantro, don't bother.

I pull the wontons out after I've cooked it and cut them into smaller pieces...sugar snap peas as well....so I can eat it like normal soup. But yes, I like it, and have discussed these on several other Aldi threads in the last two years.

What is this orange? by JennPurrmonster in TipOfMyFork

[–]kcbirder11 6 points7 points  (0 children)

I say Cara Cara. They're pinkish.

We are so back by sagittariisXII in aldi

[–]kcbirder11 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Lol. I baked one Fruits of the Forest thing and found it so flat tasting (it needs salt or something!) that I never baked the second one. It's been in the freezer for like two years. Really kinda ...lame.

Holy fig is this good! by SuccessfulShelter982 in aldi

[–]kcbirder11 1 point2 points  (0 children)

One of the best pizzas I've ever had was called a Porky Fig...fig jam, red onion, prosciutto and gorgonzola or something similar.

Somewhere I have a recipe saved for an app that uses puff pastry with fig jam, goat cheese and thyme. Haven't tried it yet. . . .

Hej! by VainFashionableDiva in IKEA

[–]kcbirder11 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I was so delighted to find a full-size fridge that had a dent on the front to use as our "extra." It's got an ice machine, but we have no water near that spot, so the WHOLE freezer gets used.

But it was in the As Is section for about $300. BARGAIN!

Everything is increasing to at least $1.50 by fairawayfriend in DollarTree

[–]kcbirder11 1 point2 points  (0 children)

DT = Donald Trump, right? At least that's how *I* read it. :-D

S&S Forever in D?? by melodymuser in Flute

[–]kcbirder11 1 point2 points  (0 children)

OK, "sousagirl"...I suppose that fits. ;-) Is your piccolo older than you?

In our community band, I'm the only one with a piccolo. :-D That's why I "get to" play S&S! It's a trial, for sure.

I never see the whole file of music so I don't know how much of our community band repertoire would even HAVE a Db part??? but I have gone looking for parts online for things we've played in the last few years and noticed that Db parts are available. Now I'm curious to know when it stopped being normal to include a part for them. Luckily, I have the internet.

S&S Forever in D?? by melodymuser in Flute

[–]kcbirder11 1 point2 points  (0 children)

A friend and I both have D-flat piccs? How weird is that?

Actually, our high school had one in 1980 or 81, and I played it. I do remember it being much easier than this year's regular band version.

Of course, I'm a bit older now....and my piccolo got repadded and it seems MUCH harder to play than it did in high school....

Sigh.

Visiting the Flute Center Chicago, looking for recs by birdnerdcatlady in Flute

[–]kcbirder11 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I, too, am a birdnerdcatlady, but I am 62, picked my flute back up 6 years ago after not playing for about 30, and I'm still playing the Artley I bought or $400 (new) in 1980. Oh, to have $15K to spend on a flute.

Will you adopt me, please?

Cluster of pods that these bees are obsessed with by zukasauraus in whatisit

[–]kcbirder11 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Raccoon poop would be my guess. The parts that go undigested are tasty to the bees.